Significantly for Western North Carolina, with its preponderance of GOP legislators, McCrory is the first Republican N.C. governor in modern history to win office with a GOP-controlled General Assembly. This should mean more clout for our region’s GOP state legislators such as Rep. Chuck McGrady of Hendersonville, newly elected Rep. Chris Whitmire of Transylvania County and N.C. Sens. Tom Apodaca of Hendersonville and Jim Davis of Franklin.

After losing four years ago to Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue, McCrory reversed his fortunes in his home county of Mecklenburg this time. He lost Mecklenberg by 337 votes in 2008 but came roaring back this year to win by about 2,500 votes despite a Democratic wave in which President Barack Obama won the county by about 100,000 votes.

McCrory, who led Charlotte a record seven terms as mayor, is the first Republican governor since Jim Martin left office in 1992. He ran on a platform of increasing economic opportunity, boosting energy production and curbing government regulation.

In McCrory, North Carolina has hope for a post-partisan style of leadership that can draw together the interests of urban and rural areas in a common quest for prosperity. He won with the support of ticket-splitters such as Norman Massengill, a Charlotte Republican who voted for Obama and McCrory.

“I have not been pleased with the way Democratic governors have led this state,” Massengill, 53, a warehouse worker, told the Charlotte Observer. “I was pleased overall with what McCrory did for Charlotte.”

McCrory beat Dalton, a former state senator from Rutherford County who jumped into the race after Perdue abruptly announced in January that she would not seek re-election. McCrory was gracious in victory, saying of Dalton: “I thank him for his service to my state.”

Although outside groups ran negative ads on his behalf, McCrory did not. He pledged to seek bipartisan cooperation.

“We won the right way,” he told supporters Tuesday night. “We’re going to govern together. … We’re going to bring this state together.”

With Republicans holding the levers of power in state government, he should make good on that promise. For instance, the governor-elect should resist the urge to roll back regulations that protect public health and the environment as he promotes increasing energy production in the state.

Charlotte is not in the mountains, but it is closer to our region than the eastern part of the state that has long been the center of Democratic power. Western North Carolina should have greater influence in Raleigh thanks to the election of McCrory.

GOP legislators now have an ally in the governor’s mansion. They should work together to improve economic opportunities in the west through initiatives such as expanded broadband connectivity, while protecting the region’s environment.

<p>Republicans dismayed by the outcome of the presidential election can take heart in Pat McCrory, who won a resounding decision to become North Carolina’s first GOP governor in 20 years.</p><p>The former mayor of Charlotte beat Democratic Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton 54.68 percent to 43.16 percent in unofficial results from 98 of 100 counties. Libertarian Barbara Howe claimed 2.12 percent.</p><p>Significantly for Western North Carolina, with its preponderance of GOP legislators, McCrory is the first Republican N.C. governor in modern history to win office with a GOP-controlled General Assembly. This should mean more clout for our region’s GOP state legislators such as Rep. Chuck McGrady of Hendersonville, newly elected Rep. Chris Whitmire of Transylvania County and N.C. Sens. Tom Apodaca of Hendersonville and Jim Davis of Franklin.</p><p>After losing four years ago to Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue, McCrory reversed his fortunes in his home county of Mecklenburg this time. He lost Mecklenberg by 337 votes in 2008 but came roaring back this year to win by about 2,500 votes despite a Democratic wave in which President Barack Obama won the county by about 100,000 votes.</p><p>McCrory, who led Charlotte a record seven terms as mayor, is the first Republican governor since Jim Martin left office in 1992. He ran on a platform of increasing economic opportunity, boosting energy production and curbing government regulation.</p><p>In McCrory, North Carolina has hope for a post-partisan style of leadership that can draw together the interests of urban and rural areas in a common quest for prosperity. He won with the support of ticket-splitters such as Norman Massengill, a Charlotte Republican who voted for Obama and McCrory.</p><p>I have not been pleased with the way Democratic governors have led this state, Massengill, 53, a warehouse worker, told the Charlotte Observer. I was pleased overall with what McCrory did for Charlotte.</p><p>McCrory beat Dalton, a former state senator from Rutherford County who jumped into the race after Perdue abruptly announced in January that she would not seek re-election. McCrory was gracious in victory, saying of Dalton: I thank him for his service to my state.</p><p>Although outside groups ran negative ads on his behalf, McCrory did not. He pledged to seek bipartisan cooperation.</p><p>We won the right way, he told supporters Tuesday night. We’re going to govern together. We’re going to bring this state together.</p><p>With Republicans holding the levers of power in state government, he should make good on that promise. For instance, the governor-elect should resist the urge to roll back regulations that protect public health and the environment as he promotes increasing energy production in the state.</p><p>Charlotte is not in the mountains, but it is closer to our region than the eastern part of the state that has long been the center of Democratic power. Western North Carolina should have greater influence in Raleigh thanks to the election of McCrory.</p><p>GOP legislators now have an ally in the governor’s mansion. They should work together to improve economic opportunities in the west through initiatives such as expanded broadband connectivity, while protecting the region’s environment.</p>